Alan Wake Sequel Confirmed For XBLA

Though long-rumoured and leaked in part in May, Remedy Entertainment today confirmed that an Alan Wake sequel is in the works. Titled Alan Wake’s Night Springs, somewhat surprisingly for such a high-profile IP, the follow-up to the Twin Peaks-inspired psychological thriller (that grew to be really boring after the first two levels) will not see the light of day at retail.

Cast your mind back to 2005 for a second, the Xbox 360 launch more appropriately. Xbox Live was a relatively young beast and online gaming was only just becoming the norm. But few could have predicted that the humble Xbox Live Arcade service – launched prior to the console, though only pushed forcefully in tandem with the 360, and home to such flights of fancy as Hexic HD, Astro Pop and Marble Blast Gold – would become as influential a marketplace as it is today. With a size limit originally capped at a minute 50Mb(!), XBLA has turned its fortunes around and is now home to some of the most innovative, ambitious and entertaining games on the console.

It's speculation at this point to suggest that an Alan Wake sequel wouldn't have made it were it not for the more risk-free nature of downloadable services such as XBLA where overheads are considerably lower. It's a valid point though nonetheless and could be a sign of things to come. Mirror's Edge sequel anyone?